Question Number: 22541

Law 11 - Offside 11/18/2009

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, ontario canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 22508

Whether man u or chelsea get the benefit of a call is not my concern. My concern is there should be a degree of consistency when applying offside under 'interfering with play'.

Personally I always have the idea that a player in the offside position making an attempt to play the ball IS interfering with play. The man u vs chelsea incident makes me think that I might be wrong.
However, last week I saw game 1 between Ireland and France. There is another incident when an Irish player in an offside position jumps up trying to head the ball last kicked by his teammate. The offside player missed the ball as it is a bit too high. This time the AR raised his flag for offside offense.

So 2 similar incidences (offside player trying to play the ball but fail to make contact) and we have 2 different interpretations on the offside offense. If these high level referees (premier league and world cup) do not have a consistent application of the law, then it might be difficult for us to say for sure whether we make the call correctly under similar situations.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

'Personally I always have the idea that a player in the offside position making an attempt to play the ball IS interfering with play.'

Well, with all due respect, you need to change your personal feelings. This is not the way things are being passed down from FIFA/IFAB, and it is not the way USSF is teaching. I don't know, but I'd imagine it also goes against things you hear from CFA and/or OFA.

As for different interpretations in different games, we all need to work to a common standard. Just as your personal feelings come into play, so do they in international matches. Hopefully the powers that be will correct referees who are at odds with the standards.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Alex it still IS an opinion!
Granted the ground work for consistency is fairly structured around LAW 11 given the rewrites and video available but there are tweaking circumstances still to be ironed out!
If you recall the Italy USA offside own goal created huge debate in terms of what the USSF were saying on offside. The Italian player was guilty of offside and he was many yards away when the pass was made and about 6 to 8 yards away when the ball was redirected by the USA defender. He certainly did not block access to the ball but his darting penetrating run in behind the 2nd last opponent obviously convinced the AR to raise the flag as the pass was destined for that player. The FACT the defender got a toe on the ball was in reaction to that run so the ball could not be run on to had me scratching my head because of the pounding I took trying to state if a deliberate handling occurred to stop that through ball the handling would be punished but yet the own goal is not allowed to stand from a foot intervention? The ACTIONS of the attacker being the same so why an offside no goal for a foot intervention but a DFK with caution for a deliberate handling? If as I so strongly advocate that the reaction or actions of opponents have nothing to do with judging an offside, we judge offside criteria based only on the actions of the offside attacker? If that run was considered a gesture or movement as interfering with an opponent it came from a long way away in my opinion and if it was considered interfering with play since no touch occurred again we must wonder. There are those among us, myself included, who would have allowed the goal. Yet if FIFA says it was offside then we/I must be wrong but as an opinion if the flag had of stayed down I wonder if FIFA would have said it was wrong?
You ask what to do I suggest do the best you can with what you know and be consistent in the match you do to see it a neutral informed fair decision and live with the consequences!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Alex
IFAB made a concession to Law 11 in its famous Directive 987 it issued in August 2005 in which it stated and I quote

"A player in an offside position may be penalised before playing or touching the ball if, in the opinion of the referee, no other team-mate in an onside position has the opportunity to play the ball.
If an opponent becomes involved in the play and if, in the opinion of the referee, there is potential for physical contact, the player in the offside position shall be penalised for interfering with an opponent."

Unfortunately, IMO, many assistant referees have been using this 'directive' incorrectly by flagging offside in some no contact situations and I have noticed an increase in these incorrect flags. The key phrase is 'in the opinion of the referee' but I believe that ARs should adopt the 'Wait and See' approach and if there is no contact then most times it should not be called. I watched a game today and a ball went clearly out for a goal kick over the head of player in an offside position and it was flagged offside. That is totally at odds with the instructions and an error on behalf of the AR. Errors by senior ARs is not good for a learning perspective and the passing on of best practise to those at the lower levels who are anxious to learn from examples.